A/N: Wow Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and followed TSOYL! I still need a Beta, PM me if you're interested.
Disclaimer: If I owned Marvel or the Avengers, I wouldn't be writing a disclaimer.
Chapter 8: Bi-Frost Bits and Lucky Charms
Bruce POV
I snuck out of bed with Natasha and went down to the laboratory. It had been two months since the funeral. It was around two in the morning and I had to take my mind off of Hulking out. I had Hulked out a total of forty seven times since the miscarriage. Luckily I had been aware of it and got myself to the unit before I became a monster.
Monster
That name rang in my head every day since Natasha lost the baby. I closed the door to the lab behind me and glanced over at Tony who was snoring away, his head on his work desk and drooling on his blueprints. I half smirked at the genius as he talked in his sleep.
I was also anxious. I had planned on asking Natasha to marry me before the miscarriage. I had kept my mother's engagement ring, her most prized possession, from when she had given it to me on her deathbed. I still remember what she told me when she took the ring off and pressed it into my palm.
"Here Bruce, take my engagement ring. I know it isn't much, but it serves its purpose. Your father, terrible as he was to you and Grace, God rest her soul, loved me at one time. Maybe you can find a woman who loves you unconditionally and with all her heart. A woman who you can give this to as a sign of your commitment to loving her."
"But mom, how will I know that she's the one for me?"
"You'll know her when you see her. If you love her with a pure heart, if she shows you her fears and if she's told you that there is no man she'd rather be with, then she's the one. When you've gone to hell and back with her by your side, when she's seen and loves you at your worst and her loyalty hasn't wavered is when you know that she's the one. You have to propose when you find yourself putting her happiness first every single day and when you know she'll be happy with you forever. "
I had contemplated asking Natasha to marry me more than once since Hawaii, I was planning to do it the day after she told everyone that I was the father.
Then the miscarriage had ruined everything.
I was going through the final stage of loss and learning to accept what I cannot change. I sat down on my stool and began to study my plasma for what seemed like the billionth time.
I heard light footsteps walk across the floor of the lab towards my stool as Natasha came over to me in her pajamas and slippers.
"You know I can tell when you're not holding me, right?"
She gently placed her hand on mine. I looked up at her as she kissed my forehead.
"Bruce?"
"Yes?"
"Come to bed. You've been awake for nearly thirty six hours and you're starting to worry me."
I pulled away from her and faced the window. I sighed and decided to tell her the truth.
"Ever since the…funeral, I've been Hulking out more often than usual. The grief isn't just taking its toll on me, it's affecting the Hulk as well. Natasha, I'm afraid of hurting you. I swore that I wouldn't, but I'm not certain of anything these days."
"Except marrying you." I thought to myself.
She came close to me before sinking into my arms.
"You won't hurt me. I'm not afraid of the Hulk, I know he wouldn't hurt me. Please come to bed."
I squeezed her gently. I looked over at Tony who appeared to be quite comfortable where he was. He didn't need me.
"Okay."
Natasha smiled and took my hand, leading me back to my room. I decided right then and there that I would ask her to marry me in the morning.
Natasha POV
I slid into bed with Bruce and he held me close until I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
When my alarm went off the next morning, I rolled out of bed and found Bruce standing on the balcony, the early September wind blowing in the open door. He gazed out over the city as the sun painted the morning sky a beautiful shade of pink. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him from behind.
I was always a fast healer, in all ways, so I was 'progressing onto the last stage of grieving' as the counselor Bruce and I had been seeing had stated. I was learning to accept the fact that I had miscarried. Bruce was no stranger to death and he was healing too. He was accepting the loss of the baby with me. I had seen him at his worst and helped him through it. I had sworn on my life that he would be okay. I had to keep that promise. He turned around and kissed me softly.
"Good morning beautiful." He said to me and smiled.
"Morning Bruce."
He held me close and said,
"I have to ask you something. Wait here."
He went back into the bedroom and I saw him pull something out of his sock drawer.
He walked back to me and gestured to the balcony chairs. We sat down and he faced me. The morning sun glinted off his glasses and he took them off, gazing at me.
"Natasha, I want to let you know that I love you and that you mean the world to me. You always will. I promised you that I would stay by your side and I want to keep that promise."
He swept his hand through his hair and took my hand.
"I need to know how you feel about me."
I didn't hesitate,
"I love you Bruce, I've never been happier in all my life than when I'm with you."
He smiled again and exhaled.
"Do you love me unconditionally?"
"Yes, you know me better than I know myself. I love you. Both sides of you. I will never stop feeling this way. I trust you with my life."
He nodded and said,
"You've been there for me. You know my fears and I know yours. You've told me all your secrets and about your past. I want to be there for you forever if you'll let me."
"Of course I will, Bruce."
Then he did the thing I was least expecting.
He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee. My heart was beating a million miles an hour and I felt myself tensing up. Bruce gazed up at me with those warm brown eyes of his and said,
"I want to keep my promise. I want nothing more than to stay by your side for the rest of my life. I love you. Natasha, Will you marry me?"
I nodded my head.
"Oh Bruce, yes, yes I will marry you!"
He grinned widely as I extended my left hand, he took it and slipped the ring onto my fourth finger. It was a beautiful diamond ring with an antique look about it. I lunged forward and parked myself on his lap before kissing him passionately.
I had never wanted anything more than to be with him forever. He was smart, handsome and completely selfless. He always had everyone's safety in mind. Bruce had gone through hell for my sake, he had stayed by my side all throughout my pregnancy and was there for me when I needed him.
Fate may have screwed both of us over but that was going to change. I stood up as he did, my hands running through his curly hair. We broke apart and he said,
"That was the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done."
I laughed at his honesty as I kissed his cheek.
"Well I'm glad you're being honest. Now I'd like to say honestly that I can't wait to be the future Mrs. Banner."
Bruce murmured against my neck,
"Mm, well soon-to-be Mrs. Natasha Banner, I'd like to honestly say that I have to take a shower."
I purred back into his ear,
"You should save water and take a shower with me."
He lifted his head and said,
"Well, when you put it that way…"
He kissed me as he guided me into the bathroom.
An hour later…
Bruce walked with me, hand in hand as we went to breakfast.
I had just thought all of a sudden that everyone in the tower was finding their other half and was either engaged or married.
Pepper and Tony's wedding was scheduled for New Year's Eve. Bruce was asked to be the best man and I was asked to be the maid of honor. Phil and Maria had been married in a small civil service at the nearest courthouse last month. Steve and Beth were still just boyfriend and girlfriend, so were Serena and Clint. Jane and Thor were always happy and busy with Ed and Liz who were nearly five months old. All that needed to happen was for Fury to get a girlfriend (fat chance, he didn't trust anyone) and Darcy to get a boyfriend and then we'd all be taken!
The elevator doors opened and I shoved my left hand into the pocket of my jeans, purposefully hiding the ring. I whispered to Bruce,
"I just want to see who notices it first."
He nodded.
I went into the kitchen and got myself a cup of coffee, Bruce came up and slipped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. This was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my days with.
He poured himself a cup of tea and we stood in front of the deck windows, enjoying the sunrise when Clint tumbled out of the air vent, fell fifteen feet and landed in a crouched position before getting up and holding out his arms as Serena dropped into them from the vent.
"Good morning Dr. Banner! Hey Tasha!", Serena called out as Clint placed her feet on the floor.
Bruce and I said, "Morning!" in unison.
Some type of waltz began to play over the speakers in the living area and the elevator doors opened to reveal Beth being twirled around by Steve as they continued to dance to the waltz even into the kitchen. I had to ask,
"Hey Beth? What's up with the fancy footwork?"
"Oh I taught Steve how to waltz last night on our one year anniversary and he decided to dance with me up to breakfast."
The song continued to play as the rest of the tower's residents settled down to eat their breakfast. Nobody felt like cooking, so we all ate Lucky Charms. A bright beam of sunlight shone directly onto the table and it caught the diamond on my ring, sending rainbows dancing across the ceiling and causing Thor to look up in amazement.
"There seems to be bits of the Bi-Frost on your walls, Sir Stark."
Pepper squealed suddenly as she pointed at my hand.
"OH MY GOD! NATASHA!"
Everyone looked up at the usually collected woman's sudden outburst. Then everyone's eyes fell on my hand. Tony looked at me as Pepper continued to point at my hand,
" Um Natasha? Is that an engagement ring?"
I blushed and said,
"Yes it is." I looked over at Bruce who was flashing his brilliant smile as he said,
"Yes. I proposed this morning. And Natasha accepted my proposal."
The table erupted in cheers and Tony yelled out,
"FINALLY THANK GOD!"
Bruce held my hand as we both blushed. Pepper bounced up and down like a silly schoolgirl,
"When's the wedding?"
"Um we don't know."
A million different questions were being fired at us, Bruce just raised a hand calmly and a hush fell over the table.
"We haven't had the time to discuss things like dates, the wedding party or anything like that, please be patient with us."
The breakfast crowd dissipated as Bruce and I went up to the roof. He sat down first and I dropped to my knees next to him, admiring the ring.
"It was my mother's."
"What was?"
I looked up in slight confusion and saw Bruce smile as he looked into the open sky around us he glanced back and said,
"The ring was my mother's."
"Oh"
"She gave it to me as she was dying. She told me what I would see in the woman who was the right one for me. You fit the criteria pretty well, not to mention our history."
"Bruce?"
He laid down on the roof and I leaned back with him as he said,
"What's on your mind?"
"This may be a bad time to ask you, but would you want to try again for another shot at parenthood? You know, after we're married."
He rolled onto his side and said,
"I would do anything to be a father. We can even adopt a child. I just want to be a father so badly."
I replied,
"You deserve a family. I want kids of my own too."
Bruce smiled and said,
"I have a feeling that we're going to have very beautiful children together."
I remembered my dream from the night of the miscarriage, only I didn't cry or get upset about it. I smiled and scooted into Bruce's warm embrace.
"I think you're right."
We held each other for a long time until I heard Jarvis come over the roof speaker.
"Avengers Assemble, we have an emergency!"
Bruce and I stole one more kiss as we slid down I don't know how many handrails till we reached the armory.
I ran into my changing area and zipped up my Black Widow suit, strapping on my holsters for pistols and knives. I walked out to grab my charged up Widow's Bite gauntlets, only to find them gone. I turned around and saw Bruce holding them.
"Hey Mrs. Banner, looking for these?"
I walked over to him as he slid them onto my hands,
"Thank you Dr. Banner."
I kissed him passionately as he pushed me up against a wall.
Steve came out in his uniform, toting his shield. He saw us kissing, averted his eyes and coughed nervously.
We broke apart and Captain America shifted where he stood.
"So, uh, do you two…you know…fondue?"
Bruce smirked and we both nodded as Cap's face grew red. I couldn't help myself, I had to know.
"Hey Cap?"
He turned around, still blushing,
"Yes ma'am?"
Bruce seemed to catch onto what I was saying and I let him complete my thought,
"Do you and Beth…you know…fondue?", He asked, wiggling his eyebrows in a snarky, almost Stark- like, manner.
Captain America made the O.O face and was at a loss for words briefly before saying,
"Uh yes…in a way."
Before turning on his heel and running out of the armory.
When he left, Bruce and I started laughing at his reaction to our question.
A/N: Sort of a filler-type chapter, I'll be on vacation so I won't be updating for a while. Leave me a review and tell me what you thought. Reviews = Update!
